Epicurus Quotes on Justice
Epicurus integrated justice into his philosophy of pleasure, and the quotes gathered here show how. For Epicurus there is no conflict between living pleasantly and living justly: it is impossible to live a pleasant life without living wisely and well and justly, and equally impossible to live justly without living pleasantly. He gave justice a naturalistic and contractual basis, defining natural justice as a symbol of usefulness, a pledge to prevent people from harming or being harmed by one another, valid only where it serves the common good. He also observed its psychological reward: the just person is most free from disturbance, while the unjust is full of anxiety and the fear of exposure. Drawn largely from the Principal Doctrines, these passages present justice as a useful social bond and a condition of the tranquil life.
Quotes
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“It is impossible to live a pleasant life without living wisely and well and justly, and it is impossible to live wisely and well and justly without living pleasantly.”
Οὐκ ἔστιν ἡδέως ζῆν ἄνευ τοῦ φρονίμως καὶ καλῶς καὶ δικαίως, οὐδὲ φρονίμως καὶ καλῶς καὶ δικαίως ἄνευ τοῦ ἡδέως. ὅτῳ δὲ τοῦτο μὴ ὑπάρχει ἐξ οὗ ζῆν φρονίμως, καὶ καλῶς καὶ δικαίως ὑπάρχει, οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτον ἡδέως ζῆν. -
“Natural justice is a symbol or expression of usefulness, to prevent one person from harming or being harmed by another. (31)”
Sovereign Maxims | Variant: Natural justice is a pledge of reciprocal benefit, to prevent one man from harming or being harmed by another. -
“The just man is most free from disturbance , while the unjust is full of the utmost disturbance. (17)”
Sovereign Maxims -
“Sovereign Maxims”
Variant: Natural justice is a pledge of reciprocal benefit, to prevent one man from harming or being harmed by another. -
“Justice respects man as living in society, and is the common bond without which no society can subsist.”
Ancient and Modern Celebrated Freethinkers(Half-Hours with the Freethinkers) -
“Nearly allied to justice are the virtues of beneficence, compassion, gratitude, piety, and friendship.”
Ancient and Modern Celebrated Freethinkers(Half-Hours with the Freethinkers)